Theme
Superstition
In the earlier chapters of the book, there was a lot of discussion regarding science versus superstition, how the Victorian men (plus Mina) are attempting to use science to challenge the superstition surrounding them. However, especially in this section, we witness the transformation of the protagonists' beliefs and methodologies: that resembling Dracula's.
In Chapter 23, page 271, Dr Van Helsing hypnotizes Mina to get information regarding Dracula. Mina supposedly had a feeling about Dracula being inside her and through hypnosis, was able to provide the group with essential clues about Dracula's whereabouts. It not only shows a radical change of attitude and approach with which they continue on their quest to catch and kill Dracula, but also foretells the protagonists' further reliance on superstition to solve future mysteries.
Their use of the Christian symbol items to protect themselves from Dracula, to make him fear them, is also a clear sign of superstition that they adopted. That the cross would repel vampires had been very old traditional stories Critical Passage
Mina: "I know that you must fight--that you must destroy even as you destroy the false Lucy so that the true Lucy might live hereafter; but it is not a work of hate. That poor soul who has wrought all this misery is the saddest case of all. Just think what will be his joy when he too is destroyed in his worser part that his better part may have spiritual immortality. You must be pitiful to him too, though it may not hold your hands from his destruction... (2 paragraphs later) Don't say such thing, Jonathan, my husband; or you will crush me with fear and horror. Just think, my dear--I have been thinking all this long, long day of it--that... perhaps... some day... I too may need such pity; and that some other like you--with equal cause for anger--may deny it to me! Oh my husband! my husband, indeed I would have spared you such a thought had there been another way; but I pray that God may not have treasured your wild words, except as the heart-broken wail of a very loving and sorely stricken man. Oh God, let these poor white hairs go in evidence of what he has suffered, who all life has done no wrong, and on whom so many sorrows have come." (page 268)
This passage has several significant points that are introduced into the story.
1. Rationality
After both Lucy and Mina had both fallen into evil by Dracula, the Victorian men try to seize Dracula to kill him, not so much to remove the vampire roots as to take their revenge. Lord Goldaming had lost his lover through this tragedy (Dr Seward also adored Lucy) and Jonathan is on the brink of losing his wife too. Thus, this accounts for the reason the men speak of Dracula with so much contempt and a want for vengeance. In fact, Jonathan says, "If beyond it I could send his soul for ever and ever to burning hell I would do it."(first distinctive paragraph) Mina, however, pleads with the men to set their goals and original motives clear, "but it is not a work of hate." She is essentially reminding the men that rather than emotionality, they should remain rational and cool.
2. Sympathy
"That poor soul that has wrought all this misery is the saddest case of all."
With a statement that shocks everyone, Mina tries to figure a different side of Dracula, and how their own cruelty would only add to the misery that he would face later on. Indeed, her statement reminds us of the nature vampires. They are not vampires because they want to be; they are vampires because they had been chosen, because they had been bitten. In that sense, Mina clears up some of the guilt that Dracula has. Even more interesting, is Mina's embracing quality. Though it was Dracula that had bitten her and forced her to drink his blood, her kindness seems to be infinite, displaying the true Victorian ideals. As much as women were supposed to remain feminine, Mina depicts a typical Victorian woman who understands men.
3. Ideals
"Love thy Enemy." Here, Mina's words capture the essence of the Ten Commandments. She is embracing a vampire that had bitten her and convincing the rest of the men not to be overly hateful of Dracula. Hence, we witness the Christian ideals present in this section.
4. Mina and vampire
As Mina confesses here in the passage, she is afraid that she might turn into a vampire soon. Because she had already sucked the blood of Dracula, she seems al the more anxious of her future existence. Admitting that she might one day "need such pity", Stoker opens up a new talking point about the future of Mina and whether she could fight out her status as a near-vampire. Literary Device
Foreshadowing
Bram Stoker kept the suspense throughout the sections by hinting of a new danger waiting. Especially in Chapter 22, Jonathan repeatedly hints of a mishap to Mina in his journal. On page 259, he writes, "So I said farewell to Mina, a parting which neither of us shall forget to our dying day; and we set out." He writes with the impression that both of them would never see each other again, which certainly arouses the curiosity of the reader. Only a page later, however, his journal reads, "The last I saw, she was waving her hand in farewell." (page 260) The constant references to the farewell between Mina and himself makes the reader suspect that something would happen to Jonathan or Mina soon.
Personification
"A thin mist began to creep up from the river, and it grew and grew." (page 276)
By alleging that the mist creeps, there are several sensual conclusions that could possibly be inferred.
Stoker must have chosen the word "creep" to emphasize something, I think it is a feeling of terror and uncomfortableness. Whenever something creeps up, it is intended to catch the person/ object off guard. Since we already have the knowledge that the mist is another form of Dracula, this fact fits the puzzle. As Count closes in on Mina Harker once again and grows closer to her physically, he would act with caution at the want to scare her, and also Mina would have a weird sensation like something trying to sneak into her physical self. In this effect, Stoker's usage of personality helps to intensify the scene. Reflection I think, overall, we had a pretty good discussion and presentation. For myself, I was able to present the information I had found and the inferences I had drawn from reading the book. Though I had some (quite a lot, actually) difficulties answering the questions posed by Mr. Stephens, I thought I made my theme and critical passage clear with supporting evidence, etc. One rather disappointing part though, was the jeopardy. Because one team was in lead by so much points, the game became less interesting for the other teams. In addition, because everyone chose the hardest questions first, we saw the climax of the game going down; by the final round, we only had the easiest question left and had to make up another one on the spot. In that sense, we could have better organized our game. For the drawing game, I thought everyone at least thought of something and was enjoying it.
Superstition
In the earlier chapters of the book, there was a lot of discussion regarding science versus superstition, how the Victorian men (plus Mina) are attempting to use science to challenge the superstition surrounding them. However, especially in this section, we witness the transformation of the protagonists' beliefs and methodologies: that resembling Dracula's.
In Chapter 23, page 271, Dr Van Helsing hypnotizes Mina to get information regarding Dracula. Mina supposedly had a feeling about Dracula being inside her and through hypnosis, was able to provide the group with essential clues about Dracula's whereabouts. It not only shows a radical change of attitude and approach with which they continue on their quest to catch and kill Dracula, but also foretells the protagonists' further reliance on superstition to solve future mysteries.
Their use of the Christian symbol items to protect themselves from Dracula, to make him fear them, is also a clear sign of superstition that they adopted. That the cross would repel vampires had been very old traditional stories
Critical Passage
Mina: "I know that you must fight--that you must destroy even as you destroy the false Lucy so that the true Lucy might live hereafter; but it is not a work of hate. That poor soul who has wrought all this misery is the saddest case of all. Just think what will be his joy when he too is destroyed in his worser part that his better part may have spiritual immortality. You must be pitiful to him too, though it may not hold your hands from his destruction... (2 paragraphs later) Don't say such thing, Jonathan, my husband; or you will crush me with fear and horror. Just think, my dear--I have been thinking all this long, long day of it--that... perhaps... some day... I too may need such pity; and that some other like you--with equal cause for anger--may deny it to me! Oh my husband! my husband, indeed I would have spared you such a thought had there been another way; but I pray that God may not have treasured your wild words, except as the heart-broken wail of a very loving and sorely stricken man. Oh God, let these poor white hairs go in evidence of what he has suffered, who all life has done no wrong, and on whom so many sorrows have come." (page 268)
This passage has several significant points that are introduced into the story.
1. Rationality
After both Lucy and Mina had both fallen into evil by Dracula, the Victorian men try to seize Dracula to kill him, not so much to remove the vampire roots as to take their revenge. Lord Goldaming had lost his lover through this tragedy (Dr Seward also adored Lucy) and Jonathan is on the brink of losing his wife too. Thus, this accounts for the reason the men speak of Dracula with so much contempt and a want for vengeance. In fact, Jonathan says, "If beyond it I could send his soul for ever and ever to burning hell I would do it."(first distinctive paragraph) Mina, however, pleads with the men to set their goals and original motives clear, "but it is not a work of hate." She is essentially reminding the men that rather than emotionality, they should remain rational and cool.
2. Sympathy
"That poor soul that has wrought all this misery is the saddest case of all."
With a statement that shocks everyone, Mina tries to figure a different side of Dracula, and how their own cruelty would only add to the misery that he would face later on. Indeed, her statement reminds us of the nature vampires. They are not vampires because they want to be; they are vampires because they had been chosen, because they had been bitten. In that sense, Mina clears up some of the guilt that Dracula has. Even more interesting, is Mina's embracing quality. Though it was Dracula that had bitten her and forced her to drink his blood, her kindness seems to be infinite, displaying the true Victorian ideals. As much as women were supposed to remain feminine, Mina depicts a typical Victorian woman who understands men.
3. Ideals
"Love thy Enemy." Here, Mina's words capture the essence of the Ten Commandments. She is embracing a vampire that had bitten her and convincing the rest of the men not to be overly hateful of Dracula. Hence, we witness the Christian ideals present in this section.
4. Mina and vampire
As Mina confesses here in the passage, she is afraid that she might turn into a vampire soon. Because she had already sucked the blood of Dracula, she seems al the more anxious of her future existence. Admitting that she might one day "need such pity", Stoker opens up a new talking point about the future of Mina and whether she could fight out her status as a near-vampire.
Literary Device
Foreshadowing
Bram Stoker kept the suspense throughout the sections by hinting of a new danger waiting. Especially in Chapter 22, Jonathan repeatedly hints of a mishap to Mina in his journal. On page 259, he writes, "So I said farewell to Mina, a parting which neither of us shall forget to our dying day; and we set out." He writes with the impression that both of them would never see each other again, which certainly arouses the curiosity of the reader. Only a page later, however, his journal reads, "The last I saw, she was waving her hand in farewell." (page 260) The constant references to the farewell between Mina and himself makes the reader suspect that something would happen to Jonathan or Mina soon.
Personification
"A thin mist began to creep up from the river, and it grew and grew." (page 276)
By alleging that the mist creeps, there are several sensual conclusions that could possibly be inferred.
Stoker must have chosen the word "creep" to emphasize something, I think it is a feeling of terror and uncomfortableness. Whenever something creeps up, it is intended to catch the person/ object off guard. Since we already have the knowledge that the mist is another form of Dracula, this fact fits the puzzle. As Count closes in on Mina Harker once again and grows closer to her physically, he would act with caution at the want to scare her, and also Mina would have a weird sensation like something trying to sneak into her physical self. In this effect, Stoker's usage of personality helps to intensify the scene.
Reflection
I think, overall, we had a pretty good discussion and presentation. For myself, I was able to present the information I had found and the inferences I had drawn from reading the book. Though I had some (quite a lot, actually) difficulties answering the questions posed by Mr. Stephens, I thought I made my theme and critical passage clear with supporting evidence, etc. One rather disappointing part though, was the jeopardy. Because one team was in lead by so much points, the game became less interesting for the other teams. In addition, because everyone chose the hardest questions first, we saw the climax of the game going down; by the final round, we only had the easiest question left and had to make up another one on the spot. In that sense, we could have better organized our game. For the drawing game, I thought everyone at least thought of something and was enjoying it.